A meditation for the compassionate commuter dwelling in present moment awareness.
This meditation can be done sitting or standing on the tube,
A train,
Bus,
Tram,
Or any other mode of public transportation.
And can be done with eyes open or closed,
Whichever feels most comfortable and safe.
Begin by simply noticing the sensations of pressure and gentle movements where your body is in contact with the seat or floor,
Through the feet or bum.
Can you feel gravity holding the weight of your body here,
Even as you travel through space?
Can you let go into gravity a bit further,
Perhaps using the breath to help you here?
As you breathe in,
Noticing the sensations of air passing in through the nose or mouth.
And as you breathe out,
Just easing into your posture a bit further,
Allowing the breath to bring a sense of ease to any tension in the body.
Seeing if you can also tune into any sensations of stillness here.
As you connect with the ground beneath you.
Now begin to open to sounds all around you.
Perhaps you can hear worrying,
Buzzing,
Humming,
Screeching.
What else can you hear?
Can you get interested in sounds?
Without trying to block them out.
But instead,
Simply allowing them to arrive and pass away in their own time.
Now opening your awareness to include bodily sensations.
Perhaps there's a gentle rocking or a sense of vibration,
A tingling or the movement of energy through the body as the vehicle that you're in moves through space.
How are these sensations?
Do you find them pleasant?
Unpleasant?
Perhaps neither.
Can you relax into these sensations?
Just allow them to be as they are.
Beginning now to also notice any thoughts and feelings that are present just now.
Maybe you're thinking about the day ahead.
Or a conversation from yesterday.
Can you let those thoughts pass through?
Just like you did sounds and sensations.
What about emotions?
Can you tune in to how you're feeling today?
However you're feeling,
Can you invite those feelings in with kindness and non-judgmental awareness?
Getting curious about your feelings without needing to cling to them or push them away.
And now just spending a few moments dwelling in a warm open awareness that contains the fullness of your experience.
Body sensations,
Sounds,
Thoughts and emotions.
A sense of other people on the train with you.
Knowing that there is stillness even in the movement as you travel through space.
And then gently returning to those sensations at the points of contact with the seat or the floor.
Really allowing yourself to dwell in any sensations of stillness,
Peace or ease.
Taking those into the rest of your day.
